Ackerman
by CrazyCause
Summary: Most characters in Aot have a reason to want to wipe titans off the face off the Earth: mostly to protect or avenge their loved one. But Levi Ackerman is the exception. Who is Levi fighting for, and how did he get to them? After all, everyone has had someone dear to their heart. [Levi x OC]
1. Chapter 1: Ackerman

Chapter 1: Ackerman

Author's Note:

In the world of AoT or SnK, dozens of the main characters are driven to vanquish titans off the face of the Earth to protect others, or to avenge their lost loved ones, such as Eren and Mikasa.

But what about Levi?

I mean, come on, no one is that passionate about their task and duty without having someone close to their heart as their motivation. I mean, maybe he felt it was his duty to protect others, but, in this story, I'm telling who and why led Levi Ackerman to where he stood in the tale of Attack on Titan.

See ya soon!

He was 12 years old when he rushed off with the stolen loaf of bread in his jacket pocket.

"Hey, you, piece of crap, bring that back!"

The burly shop owner stormed after him, pushed the crowd out of his way.

Levi slipped under and between the legs of the people; he was short enough to go unnoticed,

most of the time.

When Levi had chosen to live in the city, the city above ground, he had been warned.

 _"_ _They probably won't take stealing all that lightly, up there, you're gonna have to try and find a way to earn some cash, as legally as possible."_

Levi had disregarded Kenny's words.

 _I can use a knife, so long as I can protect myself, I'll be ok._

It had been three days, three days so far. The first two nights, he had slept in an unused boat underneath the bar seats, until the owner arrived, noticed his presence and kicked him out. After that, he decided he was going to have to stick around in alleys and sleep with the rats.

Of course, he could go join the military program, and become a trainee solider, but with no legal or even unofficial guardians, and a record of theft and already 2 kills, there was no way he would be accepted, no matter how good a fighter he was.

There it was, a small crack underneath a house, large enough for him to slip into.

Gritting his teeth, Levi slid in.

 _It has to be quick. I the guy notices me; I have no escape route._

He waited for someone to some searching for him in the crack.

After he deemed the situation all clear, he pulled out his precious, stolen cargo.

A small roll of bread. I was stale, had dirt on it, possibly even small amounts of mould on it, but after not eating for the past day, even a clean-freak like Levi would eat something like it.

 _This might be a good place to sleep,_ he thought to himself. It didn't look like anyone had been below the house for a long time, and it was cut off from the outside.

The next day, or, rather, early morning, when no-one was around to see him, a small, dirty child emerge out from under a house, he set off on foot.

The ocean was rolling out in front of him, and the closer he got, the further it seemed to be.

 _If we are just stuck inside this wall our whole lives, how are we ever going to find out what the rest of the world is like? And what about the titans? What are they like?_

At age 12, Levi has still not seen a titan, like most other children his age, luckily for them.

 _If you listen carefully, you can hear something coming through the wind._

Maybe it was a titan, on the other side of wall Maria, or maybe it was just a horse.

A large hand firmly gripped the nape of Levi's neck from out of nowhere. He turned around instantaneously.

 _It wasn't a horse, or a titan, it was that fat shopkeeper from yesterday creeping up on me!_

The shopkeeper gripped his wrist.

"Little man, if you don't come up with triple the amount you owe me for that little stunt you pulled yesterday with _my_ bread, you see that ocean over there? You better know how to swim," he finished, smirking as he slowly pulled the young boy closer.

"You should let go if you want to leave with what's still remaining of your eyesight." Levi replied.

"Huh, what's that? You making fun of my ARGH!"

Before he finished his sentence, Levi had whipped out his knife and made a cut across his face. Blood started to seep from the fowl man's wound.

 _All I need is to be able to protect myself. That's all I need here, on the surface city._

Each time things got hard, Levi told himself that lie.

It wasn't that he just wasn't ready to accept the hard truth, that he was going to have to come up with a good plan soon, otherwise…

Levi started walking away from the old shopkeeper, still hunched over, covering his wound with his hand.

 _I should have gone harder on him, the bastard pig deserved more than he got._

As he approached the top of the hill, he went to while his blood tipped knife on his pant leg.

"Hey kid."

Levi looked up in shock.

I was a solider, one from the military, or from the survey corps, he couldn't tell. He had spent his whole life avoiding them, not inspecting their uniforms.

But he could tell he was going to be in a spot of trouble.

"I saw what you did down there.


	2. Chapter 2: Sorted Out

Chapter 2:

I know it's only chapter 2, but thanks for reading this, wow, I even have a follower! Please review for more chapters, after all, that is my biggest support!

The solider put his hand on the boy's shoulder and turned him around.

Levi knew there was no way out of it, he still had the dirty knife, and there was no point fighting against the solider anyway; he was much more trained than himself.

 _Maybe I could, no, cause if they got me, then I'd be charged with attack the legal authorities, damn, I'm screwed unless I do something._

"Hey kid, where'd you learn to use a knife like that?" The man asked.

 _I have to keep my answers brief, but I still have to answer, otherwise he'll try to make me reply with force._

"In the underground."

"Hm, I would've thought so. Where are your parents?"

Parents? Was Kenny a parent?

 _Not really, should avoid bringing up Kenny, otherwise…_

"They died a couple of years ago."

"So you've been living by yourself since then, and you've moved into the above ground cities and villages to try and get a better life for yourself, and it's not going all that well?"

Levi didn't answer.

At that point he realised 2 things. Firstly, he didn't know where the solider was taking him, and secondly, the solider hadn't made him drop his knife. _Why didn't he make me drop my weapon? I could've easily taken him down already._

 _Does that mean he trusts me, with his life?_

"So you have a last name?" the solider was starting to push him now.

"Yeah, Ackerman." Levi replied, trying to hope that the solider wouldn't make the connection between himself and the notorious Kenny Ackerman.

"And how old are you?"

There was a short pause as they kept on walking.

"I think I'm 12. I, I never knew my birthday, my, my parents died before I could remember."

He wasn't sure how to articulate the facts.

"Why do you want to know all this, what do you want to do to me!?" Levi yelled out to the soldier.

The older man sighed, his blond hair rustling to the side

"I'm taking you to become a trainee, to help humanity fight against the titans."

 _Fight, trainee, titans?_

"Are you crazy? You can't just whisk up kids on the street and send them off to go fight a bunch of massive man eating monsters! Maybe I can hold a knife, but that doesn't equal out to defending humanity!"

"Yes, it does."

He stood there, slightly baffled by the idea.

"You're what, probably 12, and you're already extremely quick with a knife. If you came from the underground, you're probably trained in some hand to hand combat. True?"

"Yes." Levi was beginning to see where this was going.

"There aren't many trainees this year, so we can always do with more. Anyway, there, you'll get a place to sleep, food, clothes, the necessities. You won't have to have people chasing you for it. And if you want to drop out afterwards, there isn't anything to stop you."

 _This could mean, this could lead to the survey corps. I might get to see the outside works, if, if I go through with this. I'll battle titans, in 4 years' time, I'll battle titans…_

"Or, you could just live like you are now, probably get caught by the authorities, that wouldn't end well for-"

"No, I'll do it, I'll accept your offer."

The solider grinned.

"Good, because we're already walking there."

Titans, what did a 12-year-old boy know about fighting titans. He had occasionally seen solders or the survey corps return from their missions from outside of the wall, or looking out over the wall from the very top, but this,

This was close quarters attacking the titans.

It took a good hour to walk to the training corps building.

"I'll sign you in," the solider said. "Usually a guardian does it, but this works too."

Levi nodded.

"Hey, at least you show some respect, keep that with you, it'll be a hell of a lot easier to deal with your trainers and squad leaders."

They walked into the building, the lady sitting at a desk greeted them.

"Hello Captain Miro," she noticed the skinny young boy standing beside him.

"I see you have brought someone with you, a new recruit?"

"Yes, Levi Ackerman, he agreed on joining the training corps just today, but I guess he'll become one of the strongest if he should choose to continue."

The lady nodded her head.

"Ok, Mr, Ackerman," she seemed to have some trouble saying his name.

"Your room in the 5th one to the left. Unfortunately, there isn't anyone else vacating it yet, but you might end up with a roommate sooner or later. I suppose you don't have any belongings either?"

"No, I don't."

"Doesn't matter, you'll be sorted out sooner or later.


	3. Chapter 3: A Explanation

Chapter 3:

 _Author's Note: I know I'm only up to chapter three on this story, but if you're reading this, please enjoy! I also haven't received any reviews, and after all, they are my greatest motivation Anyone, enough of my yapping, go on ahead and enjoy the story!_

Time skip: 4 Months

It had only been four month since Levi had joined the trainee system, but in four months, he had begun to master his vertical manoeuvring gear, learnt how to effectively use a blade in battle against titans and obviously, risen to the top of his class. (In all subjects apart from academia: a girl named Hange Zöe was responsible for that title.)

Levi was sitting on the corner of his bed, craning his head over his shoulders to look at the wound on his shoulder. In training that day, another student had gotten the better of him in a hand to hand combat match while he was preoccupied. It was a shallow gash running from his shoulder blade to his spine. It wasn't serious, but it re-opened every time he moved his shoulder.

 _This is going to stick with me for a while, it better not gets infected,_ he thought as be brushed his shirt beside him.

Out of no-where, no knock, no entry offer, Levi's door swung open.

It was a girl, only about his age carrying some rage, and a mop and bucket, wearing maid's robes; a white dress with a usually dirty apron. There seemed to be a thin layer of white powder sitting on her hair and face; most likely flour from helping out in the kitchen.

And she was just staring at him, then the room, then back to him.

 _A bit slow, isn't she?_

 _"_ Excuse me? I don't see why you'd have any reason to stay here."

 _Will she stop looking at me?_

There was a short pause.

"Oh, sorry, I was just told that no one actually was staying in this room, so I came to clean the dust out, and then you know, now you're here, but this room is still really, really clean."

She looked around the room.

"Has anyone else been here today?" She asked, pulling the cloth around her face down a little further.

Levi shook his head.

"No, so-" He was shortly cut off but the young house keeper.

"Do you've managed to keep this room, this clean, all on your own accord?"

"Yes, but I'm preoccupied right now so I wouldn't mind a little privacy. Go clean someone else's room." Levi realised that he still hadn't put his shirt on.

The girl grimaced.  
"I guess people don't get a permeant scowl on their face for no reason." She started to drag the bucket out of the room.

Levi quickly stood up on his face.

"I think I'll just ignore what you just said and wait for you to leave."

"Ok, ok…" She started walking away. "Short temper for a short person," she murmered.

Before she could turn around, her head was tugged back.

 _That bastard wants a fight? He'll get one!"_

The girl quickly kicked backwards then spun around.

A split second later, it was Levi in a headlock.

The maid let go.

"Taking advantage of my shoulder wound, nice play." Levi said sarcastically.

"Being rude to someone who's just trying to do their job, especially when they're a maid and you're a trainee for some kind of corps; nice attitude."

Levi was pissed.

"My room is clean, you didn't even need to say a word when you opened the door, you could've just left!"

"I didn't think that there was anything wrong with wanting to have a conversation to someone before, what's your problem?!"

"What's your problem?!"

The girl backed away a couple of steps then put her hands in the air.

"Ok, I'm sorry, you know what? We got off on the wrong foot. First impressions are important. Anyway, I'm Erell Romano, nice to meet you. I'm a maid around here, and I also work in the kitchen, as you can tell by the flour in my hair. And you are?"

Levi sighed.

"I'm Levi."

Erell nodded her head.

"So, no last name or anything?"

"No, no, just get out!"

"Ok, ok I'm leaving."

Erell walked out the door and went to shut it, but swung it open again at the last second.

"Hey Levi? I recommend you put something on that, it'll probably be infected by tomorrow if you leave it in that condition."

 _It's fine, only a shallow cut. Tomorrow, it'll be healed, not infected._  
"Thank you for your advice, but I do have some common sense in these matters."

Erell nodded.

"Yeah, but you seem to me like the kind of person who says one thing and does another, so you know, probably should dress that wound."

Levi slipped his shirt back on.

"Believe me, I've had much worse."

"You're only, what, 12, 13? What could be worse than almost a foot-long sword cut?"

"I grew up in the underground; the possibilities are endless."

 _Is it worth telling all this to some random house keeper who just walks into my room and won't stop talking? I guess I don't have much else to do…_

"What's that?" Erell said.

Levi raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean, what's that? You mean you've never heard of the underground?"

"No, it sounds like you're making up. Since when was there and underground?"

Levi sighed.

"It's just a city, a town, but a big one, similar to this one. But, it's all underground, that's basically it. If the titans attack, it would be one of the safest places to go, along with inside wall Cina."  
"Wow, I really hope you're not spinning crap, because it sounds crazy. How is there any sunlight there?"  
"There isn't really much, most of the light is artificial. But it's shadier in the way things are run. Most trading posts are illegal, and there are a lot of other dark things going on."

Erell looked at him with an open mouth.

"And you grew up there? And how have I never heard of it, if it's an entire city."

Levi sighed.

 _Well, at least she's some form of company._


End file.
